


Never Giving Up

by sgteam14283



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Bingo, Friendship, Gen, Tumblr: jaegercon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-12
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-23 02:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/920655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgteam14283/pseuds/sgteam14283
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the wake of monsters showing up and the destruction they created, some kept their faith while others abandoned it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Giving Up

**Author's Note:**

> written for the Jaegercon Bingo square 'Religion' and as such there is light exploration of religious themes. Also it was fun to come up with my own reasons as to why Tendo had a rosary on his wrist during the movie. Don't own what you recognize, I just play in the sandbox. Enjoy!

“I didn’t know you were Catholic.” 

Tendo looked up from his clipboard to see Raleigh standing next to him. When had he arrived in the control center? Slightly frowning, it took a second for his brain to process the statement and realize that he was commenting on the rosary that Tendo wore on his wrist. “Oh, yeah...kinda. Haven’t been to Mass in years though.” 

“The apocalypse does tend to make that seem a bit pointless.” Raleigh replied while sweeping his gaze towards the window that overlooked the jaeger bay. When the kaiju first appeared people flocked to church, thinking it was the end of the world and preachers told everyone they needed to “get right with God.” But when they kept coming people found their faith faltering, asking themselves why a benevolent god would let such horrible things destroy and kill so many. 

Growing up Raleigh had never been religious, although his mother’s side of the family was so twice a year on Christmas and Easter him, Yancy, and their mother (their father refused to go) would get dressed up and suffer through a sermon with their relatives. But between the kaiju arriving, losing Yancy, and just trying to not get swallowed by all the memories he’d turned his back on organized religion.

“True, but sometime’s it’s the only thing that keeps you going.” Tendo said casually. “Not gonna lie and say it was easy, sure felt like walking away after watching San Francisco become a nuclear wasteland, but in the weeks after I found some solace in lighting a candle and saying a prayer.” 

And it had been hard to keep his faith. There had been days, mostly when kaiju were rampaging somewhere, where he had to keep telling himself that this must be a part of some larger plan that God had and all he needed to do was figure out his spot in it. 

“That’s partly the reason I carry it around. Reminds me of the messages of hope I heard when I was little. That’s why we fight, isn’t it? Because we hope that it’ll end one of these days and there’ll be no more monsters.” 

“Yeah, but then we’d be out of a job.” Raleigh said while giving his friend a smile. He might not have much hope, but he wouldn’t begrudge others if they did. Everyone needed something different to get through the days. “What’s the other reason?”

Tendo glanced away from Raleigh and towards the control panel in front of him. “It was the last item my grandfather held before he died.” he said eventually, idly fidgeting with the edge of the clipboard. He normally didn’t tell those who asked about it, but Tendo knew that Raleigh (and most everyone in the Shatterdome) knew what it was like to hold onto something from a loved one that they lost to the kaiju. Mako had her shoes and her father’s sword, Herc had his wife’s wedding band, Chuck had his mother’s necklace, Raleigh had his photos, and Tendo had his rosary. 

“The one that died from Kaiju Blue? Shit, I didn’t know.” Raleigh could’ve kicked himself for forgetting, he dimly remembered the notation in Tendo’s file from when they were all at the Icebox.

Tendo shrugged, “That’s okay, it was a long time ago.” 

“Yeah, but you never forget it. Trust me, I know.” Raleigh said as he turned to face Tendo. “Say why don’t we grab a drink at the bar? I heard that Sasha managed to get some top vodka and one of the guys from Typhoon made some bathtub gin guaranteed to strip the paint off of Gipsy.”

Tendo smiled and chuckled at little, “It’ll do that and more. Had some of the gin before and don’t remember what happened after. Just have to finish a few things before I get off shift, I’ll meet you down there.” 

“I’m holding you to it.” Raleigh called out as he made his way out of the control center. Walking down the hallway he couldn’t help but feel a bit of admiration for Tendo, even with his grandfather dying when Tresspasser attacked and everything that he'd seen since he didn't give up on his faith. While he still didn’t believe in a higher power, he’d take every bit of luck that they could get until this was over. 

Because right now they needed it.


End file.
